Government audit criticizes low target for internal renewables

LONDON, England, 2004-08-04 (Refocus Weekly)

The UK government has abandoned monitoring its ‘Greening Government’ initiative in a systematic and objective manner, according to its internal Environmental Audit Committee.

“We find it bizarre and highly unsatisfactory that the government should have set a target of sourcing at least 10% electricity from renewables by 2008, when analysis of the latest data shows that 17 out of the 20 ministerial departments already meet, or in many cases significantly exceed, this target,” the committee notes in its annual audit of the program. “The government must explain why it has not set a more challenging target.”

“We also expect all individual departments which are currently meeting or exceeding the target to set their own appropriate and challenging targets.”

Six departments purchased 10% or less of their electricity from renewables, while six other departments purchased between 50% and 90% from green power. Certain departments have made “substantial improvements,” such as DfID which purchases 60% of its energy from renewables compared with only 10% in the previous year. HMT “registered an even more impressive jump - from 0% to 90%,” it notes.

Targets for energy under the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate were set in February 2004, and the committee assessed performance against the interim target to obtain 5% of electricity from renewables by March 2003, and to reduce carbon emissions by 1% a year.

“The Greening Government initiative is of immense importance,” says committee chair Peter Ainsworth. “Central departments are major employers and estate mangers, and also exert huge influence through the policies they are responsible for developing and implementing. Yet our results indicate that there is a perceptible loss of momentum in the Greening Government initiative - particularly on the policy side - and Ministers must demonstrate a new commitment if the Sustainable Development in Government report is really going to live up to its name.”

Of departments with significant vehicles, the Department for Work & Pensions has 624 cars of its fleet of 2,852 on alternative power (including LPG), whereas Customs & Excise, Inland Revenue and the Home Office have only 183 alternatively-powered vehicles out of their combined fleet of 5,836.

The energy framework includes a directive for government departments to source at least 10% of their electricity from renewable sources by March 2008, and at least 15% of electricity from combined heat and power by 2010. By March 2006, government will develop a strategy for sourcing renewable energy on the Government Estate to 2020, and all departments must reduce absolute carbon (from fuel and electricity used in their buildings) by 12.5% by 2011, relative to 2000.


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